


Brand Names

by TwilightKnight17



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: A bit silly, Gen, bully him lovingly, set right after the beginning of the Casino
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 03:24:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17113526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilightKnight17/pseuds/TwilightKnight17
Summary: Goro Akechi has worked very hard to cultivate a recognizable public image.This backfires slightly.





	Brand Names

**Author's Note:**

> I hammered this out in 45 minutes. Don't look at me.

Despite all of his observation and preparation, there was still an uncertain element in dealing with the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

The metaverse was easy. Play along, be the wide-eyed observer that didn’t know too much about what these places were like. Throw in a bit of genuine incredulity about the calling card, and have all of them falling into his lap. It was easy to pacify them while they were in an otherworldly setting.

But today was the first day that Goro would be joining them for a proper meeting. Apparently they always met up before venturing into Mementos, and now that they’d seen his persona, Kurusu thought it was best if they went on a run through the subway to see how he fit into the team. Goro had no idea what these meetings were like. He could hope they were of a professional nature, but the Thieves were teenagers, and after seeing Sakamoto sliding down a railing in the Casino just because he could, that hope was very dim indeed.

As he made his way towards Yongen-Jaya, he passed numerous shops in the station. A few still had straggling remnants of Phantom Thieves merchandise, despite their current status as Tokyo’s most wanted. After what had happened to Okumura, it was only natural. Things were proceeding exactly as Goro knew they would. The merchandise had been tacky anyway. Any of that sort of thing was obnoxious. Goro had reluctantly given permission for some merchandise of his own, but only because he received the royalties from it and his spending money wore a bit thin sometimes. Surprisingly, it didn’t pay much to be a junior detective or an assassin. The Thieves didn’t even see any returns from the fake calling cards or fancy enamel pins, though. That was just greedy stores hoping to capitalize on their anonymity and popularity.

It would be a shame if it wasn’t happening to the people he needed to ruin anyway.

As he made his way up to Leblanc’s attic, adjusting his coat and gloves and hoping he wasn’t dressed too formally for the slobs among the Phantom Thieves, he was sure he would be able to handle this meeting with his usual grace. But when he reached the top of the stairs he stopped dead, every word and thought robbed from him at the sight waiting for him.

Every single one of the Phantom Thieves was dressed in matching hoodies. But not just any hoodies; they were hoodies printed to look exactly like his signature peacoat. The one he was currently wearing.

All he could manage was a weak, “Why...?”

“Did you know they make merch of you?” Kurusu asked, the corner of his lip twitching as if he was trying not to grin.

Goro sighed. “Yes. Unfortunately.”

“They’re very comfortable,” Okumura said. “The fabric is of excellent quality.”

“If I’m going to let someone make terrible merchandise, I can at least ensure that it’s high-quality terrible merchandise,” Goro said glumly. “Is there a reason all of you are wearing them, though?”

“We’ve always gotta give our newest member shit at the first meeting,” Sakamoto laughed. “It’s tradition.”

“Is it really.” Somehow, Goro didn’t think so, but he needed these people on his good side for now. So he offered them his sunniest interview smile and moved over to take a place just behind where Kurusu was sitting. “I will admit, you all look incredibly amusing, but you wanted to talk about Mementos?”

“Wait, wait!” Takamaki pulled a flat box from beneath her chair and thrust it at him. “We got you something, too!”

Goro accepted the box after a moment of hesitation. “You didn’t have to…”

“Yes, we did,” Sakura said, not even bothering to hide her grin. “Open it up, nerd.”

He really did not want to be here. Not with these people and their juvenile attempts at humor. It was almost a guarantee that if he opened this box, there would be another of those confounded hoodies in it. Best to just get this over with and move on.

But when he lifted the lid from the ‘gift’, he instead found a black hoodie with red stitching, adorned with the logo of the Phantom Thieves as a small patch over where the wearer’s heart would be. It was...stupid. Ridiculous. They’d gotten it to mock him.

But there was still a tiny part of him that was emotional over the fact that they’d gotten him something at all. It was a lot of effort for a prank.

“We know you can’t wear it in public, obviously, but consider it a welcome present!” Takamaki chimed.

With all of their eyes on him, Goro slowly slipped his coat off and put on the hoodie. Despite his ridicule of their merchandise as tacky, it was soft and warm, and the faint scent of coffee clung to it like it did everything that spent too much time in Leblanc.

“If we were all going to dress up as you, it only seemed fair to get you something to dress as us,” Kurusu said quietly. "You're part of the team now." 

Goro swallowed hard, thinking of black coats and the heavy weight of masks.

“It was very thoughtful of you.”

The Phantom Thieves were stupid. The Phantom Thieves were in over their heads. But just for now… Just for now, he could pretend.

**Author's Note:**

> So have y'all seen that terrible [Akechi hoodie](https://twitter.com/bocchanlucifer/status/1076393756000161797?s=21)? I can't believe this is a real piece of merch that exists. Please just make the coat. God.
> 
> So many possible things I could be working on, including the next Bells chapter, but I'm doing this instead. Jeeze. Go me! I hope someone else smiled at the mental image, at least. :P


End file.
